The grand imam of Egypt's Al Azhar Mosque, the Sunni world's most prestigious seat of learning, called on the people of Iraq to unite to rid the country of terrorists and urged other countries to help. "The Iraqis, men, women, children and elderly people should unite and work solidly together to chase those evil terrorists everywhere until Iraq's land is purged of their filth and viciousness," Mohammad Saeed Tantawi said in a statement on Thursday. "All other countries and individuals should extend help to Iraq to enable its people to exterminate those wantons and despots," Tantawi said.The statement included 10 items explaining "the pillars of Islam" that deal with religious, ideological and political issues supporting Tantawi's ideas, with excerpts from the Holy Quran to support his points. Islam does not differentiate between people, whatever their origin, Tantawi argued, in what is one of the strongest condemnations of the violence plaguing Iraq since the end of the US-led invasion in May 2003. "Chasing these criminals determinedly and steadily until finishing them off is a duty of everyone, be it a ruler or anybody else and anyone who shelters them is considered partner to their crimes," Tantawi said. The grand imam said the most heinous crimes committed by those "corrupt on earth ... is the killing of innocent people, kidnapping honest people and then killing them in a savage way."